By Sagar V. Mankar 
The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) is set to become one of the most significant entertainment releases in history, with experts projecting sales exceeding $1 billion even before the game officially hits the shelves. According to a recent Financial Times report, analysts at DFC Intelligence predict that GTA 6 could generate this staggering revenue purely through pre-orders.
GTA 6, developed by Rockstar Games and published by Take-Two Interactive, is already being hailed as the most anticipated title of 2025 at the prestigious Game Awards. Its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, earned $1 billion within its first three days of release in 2013—a record-breaking achievement. Remarkably, GTA 6 is expected to surpass that milestone even before its launch date.
“GTA V has 11 years of sales history and revenues actually increased in Years 7, 8, and 9, reaching around $1 billion in both Years 8 and 9,” DFC founder David Cole told Financial Times. “Because of this long-term success, we think that GTA VI will have a faster start out of the gate. Sales should pass $1 billion before it is released via pre-orders.”
DFC Intelligence further estimates that GTA 6 could bring in an additional $2.2 billion within the first 12 months of its release.
The success of GTA Online has also played a crucial role in maintaining the franchise’s relevance over the years. Launched alongside GTA V, the online component faced early challenges, including bugs and missing features. However, it eventually attracted millions of dedicated players worldwide. Until 2022, accessing GTA Online required owning a copy of GTA V, which further boosted the game’s sales.
DFC Intelligence predicts that Rockstar will follow a similar strategy with GTA 6, including releasing enhanced versions of the game when new PlayStation (PS6) and Xbox consoles enter the market. Analysts believe this could trigger a fresh surge in sales, particularly in the game’s third or fourth year. By the end of its fifth year, it is estimated that GTA 6 could sell around 100 million copies. For context, GTA V has sold over 200 million copies in the past 11 years.
As of now, GTA 6 is set for a Fall 2025 release, targeting PlayStation 5/Pro and Xbox X/S series platforms. Rockstar released the game’s first trailer in December 2023 amassing over 225 million views on YouTube.
Source: Financial Times